Liquid level and temperature controller



July 15, 1947. w. ALLCOCK, JR 2 LIQUID LEVEL AND TEMPERATURE CONTROLLER Filed Sept. 14, 1944 I 4 Shets-Sheet 1 \NlLLIAM ALLlOCK T n-L b1 MWLM Lau ATTORNE\(6.

July 15, 1947.

W. ALLCOCK, JR

LIQUID LEVEL AND TEMPERATURE CONTROLLER Filed se t. 14, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 i'wvaw-ma. wuunm Abbi-00K 'lwv. b4 144414444444 n-rmrwgqa.

July 15, 1947.

July 15, 1947. w. ALLCOCK, JR 2,424,133

LIQUID LEVEL AND TEMPERATURE CONTROLLER Filed Sept. 1 1, 194; 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Ari Z4.

INVeNT R. wmmm ALLcopKJwM. b-5 ummiw- Mmmvewo- Patented July 15, 1947 UNITED PATENT OFFICE 2,424,133 norm TEMPERATURE CONTROLLER William Alleocl r, In, Kingsbtiifi-Lfiiddfi} Engiaaa, as'signor' to Fescl- Limited;- London, England, a company of- Great Britain Application September 14, 1ar4,,senaino 534,016 In Great Britain September 22, 1943- 7 Claims. 1

The invention relates to apparatus of the kind in which operations are performed in a liquid contained in a tank or other receptacle and in which, by reason of the carrying out of these onera-ti-ons, there is a loss of liquid and a variation in the temperature thereof unless precautions are taken to maintain the level andtemperature constant" or Within narrow limits as is necessary if the operations are to be performed in an e'flicient manner. 7

A particular field of application of the i'nvem tion' is in electro-plati-n'g or 'el'ectro depos'ition plant, whereinarticles to be plated are immersed in a liquid electrolyte, such as a chromium solution; contained in a. tank or vat and through which an electric current is passed. To ensure the'necess'ar'y depth of liquid for proper immersion of the article to be plated it is necessary to have the'liquidat a constant or substantially con stant level. Moreover, for eifici'enc'y' in other directions it is necessary to have the liquid at a predetermined temperature and to maintain it there. Where the working temperature is required to be above normal, a heating" element, suchas asteamor hot water coil or an electrical strip heater, is employed. Loss of level result-s firstly from the taking away of part or the liquid by it'sadherence to the articles as they are removed from the tank, and secondly from evapora tion. Evaporation is consequent not only on the 'initialheat ofthe liquid. but" also on the ad ditional heat imparted to it :by the passage of the platin'g'curr'ent, especially where considerable amperages are employed. The imparting of this additional heat creates the ancillary problemof keeping the temperature of the liquid to the desired predetermined value;

compensation for loss of lever is usually ob tained ny the provision of a ballfloat device which operates a valve controlling thepas's'age ofmakeup liquid to the plating tank. In the case of small tanks, compensation for addition of heat is usually obtained by means of a cooling device" in the form of a coil which is immersed in the liquid in the tank-and to which a cooling medium such as water is supplied, while in the case of larger tanks; theusual practice is toprovide the tankwith a cooling device inthe form ofa jacket which is supplied with the cooling medium; It is,- however, difficult to strike a. balance in order 2 to avoid appreciable fluctuations in the temperatrue at which it is desired to' maintain the liquidin the tank, this difficulty being aggravated By the need for adding make-up liquid so as to maintain the proper level in the tank.

The present invention provides an arrangement-whereby the level and temperature factors can beccn trone automatically and, with precisio'r-i and reliability.

According to the invention there is provided avalve which; on the one hand, is acted Onto control the supply of make-up liquid to the tank under the influence of variation in the liquid level therein, and which, on the other hand, is independently acted on to control the supply of liquid to the cooling device under the influence ef-two' theri'nostats one of which is associated the liquid in the tankand the other of which is associated-with-the liquidin the cooling device.

By wa of example,- the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings as applied to an electro-deposition' plant in use is made of a plating tank contain-' the eletr blyte liquid, the tank being provided with ei-jacket towhioh'a cooling liquid is supplied, and whichhoth the make-up liquid and the eolingliquidare water. In the drawings' Figure 1- is a perspective view illustrating the gen-"e l arrangement'or the plant;

nigure'zis a side view in section of the valve control arrangement;-

3 is an end view looking in the direction of the arrows'in Figure 2;

Figure-4* a plan view corresponding to Fig-' ure 2; and

Figure 5 is a Wiring diagram illustratingthe circuits comprised.

Referring to the drawings, but more particular -lyto'the-general arrangement depicted by Figure I, the plating tank for the electrolyte liquid is indicated at I, this tank being seated in and projecting from a jacket 2 to which cooling water is supplied. Electro-ma-gnetically operated valve mechanism, described indetail later,- and acting to control the flow of water from a single supply pipe 3 to either the plating tank I or the cooling jacket 2 according to requirements. is accommodated within acontainer 4 mounted on the upper edge: ofthe plating tank. The cooling jacket has an overflow pipe 5. The liquid in the plating tank is heated by means of electric heating elements 6, the terminals 1 of which are arranged at the outside of the cooling jacket 2. A thermostat, generally indicated at 8, is secured to the outside of the plating tank I and is influenced by the temperature of the liquid in the tank. A second thermostat, generally indicated at 9, is secured to the outsid of the cooling jacket 2 and is influenced by the temperature of the water in the jacket. Supply of current from the mains to the electrical parts of the plant is controlled by a switch arranged in a switch box which also contains fuses and which is conveniently mounted on the wall of the plating room. included in the electrical system is a relay which is also conveniently mounted on the wall. I 1

It is now convenient to describe the construction and operation of the electro-magnetically operated valve mechanism, for which purpose reference is made to Figures 2 to 4. The con.- tainer 4 is divided into three compartments, an upper compartment l3, a lateral compartment l4 and a lower compartment |5 arranged immedi'-' There is" ately beneath the compartment l3. mounted within the container 4 and extending between the compartments l3 and I4, an inverted U-shaped plate IE to which is secured, by means of nuts H, a valve casing Hi. The inlet I9 of this casing is joined to the water supply pipe 3,'whi1e the outlet 20 of the casing opens into the compartment l3. The passage between the inlet l9 and outlet 20 is normally closedby a valve 2| whose stem 22 extends from the casing I8 into the compartment l4. Upon the extremity of the stem 22 bears an adjustable tappet 23 carried by the free end of a lever 24, the other end of which is fulcrumed at 25 to a'bracket 26 which is secured to the plate l6 and supports an electro-magnet 21. To the lever 24 is secured iron plates 28 which constitute the armature of the electro-magnet. The electro-magnet 2'1 and its associated lever 24 are arranged in the compartment M. The valve 2| is normally maintained in closed position by a spring 29 acting between the free end of the lever 24 and an anchor member 30 secured to the plate 6.

'valve 2| will be free to open under the pressure of the water in the supply pipe 3 andrwater will accordingly flow through the valve body I8 into the compartment I3 from the outlet 2|]. When the electro-magnet 21 is de-energized, the spring 29 will react to cause the lever 24to move away from the electro-magnet so that pressure will be imposed by the tappet 23 upon the Valve stem 22 to cause the valve 2| to close.

Water admitted to the compartment Ni passes through a centrally disposed slot 3| in the base of this compartment into the compartment IS in the bottom of which are provided two outlet pipes 32 and33, of which the pipe 32 leads to the plating tank I while the pipe 33 leads to the cooling jacket 2, these pipes being separated by an upwardly extending partition 34 arranged in alignment with the slot 3| and dividing the compartment l5 into two sub-compartments I51: and |5b. Between the upper edge of the partition 34 and the slot 3| there is provided a vane 55 which is secured to a shaft 36 mounted for rotation in the walls of the compartment |5 so that the vane can rock from side to side. When the vane is rocked to the right as viewed in Figure 3, water passing through the slot 3| will be deflected into the sub-compartment I50. and thence, through the outlet pipe 32, into the plating tank I. When the vane is rocked to the left, water passing through the slot 3| will be deflected into the subcompartment I51) and thence, through the outlet pipe 33, into the cooling jacket 2. When the vane is in its intermediate position, water from the slot 3| will be divided upso that part of it flows into the sub-compartment |5a while the other part flows into the sub-compartment l5b. Under these latter conditions, both the plating tank I and the cooling jacket will be fed with water si- 1 multaneouslyr To cause the rocking movement to be imparted to the vane 35, use is made of a ball float 31 which floats on the liquid in the plating tank I. This float is carried at the lower end of a rod 38 the upper end of which is pivoted at 39 to the outer end of a lever arm 40 connected to the vane 35. It will be seen that with this arrangement, when the ball float 31 descends, due to loss of level of liquid in the plating tank I, the vane will be rocked to the right as viewed in Figure 3 so that water coming from the slot 3| will flow into the plating tank I where it will act as make-up, while when the float ascends as the result of the addition of the make-up water, the vane will be rocked to the left so that water coming from the slot 3| will then be fed to the cooling jacket where it will act to reduce the temperature of the water in this jacket, the surplus water in the jacket escaping through the overflow pipe 5 (Figure 1).

A convenient method of connecting the lever arm 40 to the vane 35, is to mount fast on the shaft 36 a disc 4| and to pivot the inner end of the lever arm on the shaft, the disc being provided with an arcuate slot 42 through which passes a screw 43 for clamping the lever arm to the disc. In this manner the angle of the lever arm relatively to that of the vane can be adjusted to a nicety.

To restrain the ball float 31 against swinging so that it remains steady during operation, the float, as well as its rod 38, are arranged in a housing which is open at its lower end and the upper end of which is secured to a box 45 fixed to the side of the casing 4 and accommodating the lever arm 40 and disc 4|.

The box 45 also accommodates a two-way mercury switch 46 which is secured by a strap 41 to the disc 4| so that it partakes of the rocking movement of the vane 35. This switch is connected in circuits which include the electro-magnet 2'! and switches influenced by the thermostats 8 and 9.

It is now convenient to refer to the wiring diagram of Figure 5 which illustrates the various connections for the electrical part of the plant described in the foregoing. In this diagram the positive and negative main leads are indicated at a andb. These leads supply current, through a switch c arranged in thelead b, to the heating elements I which are connected in parallel. From the main leads a and I) extend lines 01 and e respectively, the flow of current through these lines being controlled by switch arms 1 and g working in unison'and which, with fuses h and z in the lines, are arranged in the switch box. From the fuse h associated with the switch arm 1 and line e, extends a line 7' connected to the terminal is of two-way switch constituted by a switch arm I which i's operated by the t ermostat cassoziiatci with the piatin'g tank l and is adapted to nggge' either cue or two contacts m and 'Ijhe Bridging ofth'e terminal 7c and contact at in the sit arm z-' is effected when the" thermostat is infi ended bye fallof temperature ofthe liquid in the plating tank below a predetermined value, while thebridging of the terminal is and contact 11 by the switch arm I is effected when the thermostat isirifluenced by a rise of temperature or the liquid in the platin tank above that predetermin'e'd" vaiue: 7

From the contact 172 there extends a line which connected to a relay p associated with the-switch c and from the relay extendsa line q connected by way of the fuse and switch arm 0 tc'the line c from the lead a.

Th contact 11 is connected by aline r to the teriiiihal sfof a switch confstituted' by a switch arm {which is operated by the thermostat 9' aS'sbci'at'ed with the cooling jacket 2 and iS adapt err engage with e'l'thei'f' one 01 two contacts u and v, bridging of the terminals and contact' 11; by the switch arm t is efie'cted when the thermostat !T is il'lfllierltie'd by a fall if! the tem-' perature of the water in the cooling jacket 2 below a-firdeter'ihined value, while the bridging of the terminal 3' and contact '1': by the switch arm t is e'iT'ect'ed when the thermostat is influenced by a rise of ternp'eratu're of the water in the cooling jacket above that predetermin'ed' value;

From the contact u extends a line it which is j oin'ed' rto' the'leftma'nd contact 3;" of the mercury witch' 4'6. Theright -halijd contact 1! Of the mer- SW'iflc'h is joined by a line 2; t0 the line 9. The centrefc'ontact z of the mercury switch is con: nected byeline 2 to the" winding of the electromagnet 2T and thence by a line 2 to the line d Bywayof the' fuse 2" and switch arm 9'.

For the purpose of supplying make-"up water tothe plating tank I', the opening and closing of the valve 2| is dependent on the movement of the fio'at'31' which rides on the liquid in the tank. the float sinks, due to a lowering of the level'of the" liquid in the tank, the mercury switch 4]? i's'tiltd' in a direction such that a circuit to thel'e'ctro m'agnet 21 is closed through the con; tacts z and y. The consequent eriergiz'a'tion of theelectroeni'agnet causes attraction of the armaturs 28' with consequent opening of the valve 2! against the" @111 Of its" spring 29, and pa sage of water fhldugh the valve body l8 into the com pertinent f3 and; thence through the slot 3| into the compartment' I'5. At the same time thevane' 3'5 has be'en rocked toic'aus'e' thewate'r coming through the slot 31 to be diverted into the subcompartment [d from which it flows into the plating tank. When the float rises due torestora= tioh 0f the level of the liquid in the tank and the isvei has reached its maximum height, the-mer uryfswitch 45 will tilt in the opposite direction so that the circuit through the contacts a and y is interrupted with consequent de-energization of the electro magnet 21 and return of the valve 2'? to closed osition under the influence or its At the same" time the vane 35' will rock to dii' 'rt water coming from the slot 31- into the t -compartment 5 b-and thence into the cooling at 2, While fihi'nrclfiy in the switch 46" Will Bridge the contacts a" and a: forming part of another circuit tdthe electrofilagh't 21.

The closing of this other circuit to th'eelectro' magnet- 21 is' 'riotonly dependent upon the bridgingot the-co'i-itacts a and" a: but-{also on the new hce of thethermostats- 8ari'd e on the switch 6. arms I and" t. The therihostatsare s'eriesnected and, in eifect, act to control the simply of water to the, cooling jacket as well as the supply of current to the' heating elements 1 through the relay 1;) and sW-itche. Let it be assumed, to star-t with, that conditions are normal, with the switch arms f and g in closed position and the liquid in the plating tank I at-its highest level andat correct temperature and thewater' in the cooling" jacket als'oat correct temperature. Under these" conditions, the float 31 will have brought the vane 35' to a, position for diverting water to the cool-- ing" jacket, the mercury Switch 46" will be 0136?!- at the contacts a and y, the switch 0 connectedwith t e relay p win be open, and the switch arms I and t connected with the thermostats 8" and 9 will be in inoperative position. Hence, no current will flow in any part of the system and the V BJIVe'ZI will be closed So that no water" can flOW i htO the compartment [3 If, now, the tlfl=' peraturefio-i the'llquid. in theplating' tank falls, the thermostat 8 Will move the Switch arm 6'0" bifdg the contacts is and m, thereby closing" a circuit throughmain lead a, line 11, switch arm 9, fusei,

1 line'q', relay line 0, contacts m and line 9',

fuse a, switch arm ,f and line e to main lead 1:, thereby resulting in energization of the relay p and consequent closing of the switch c-. Current will thereupon be supplied to'the'he'atin'g elements 1, resulting in a raising of the temperature of the liquid in the plating tank I-.

Part of the heat imparted to the liquid in the plating tank I in the manner just described, wi naturally, be absorbed by the water in the coo r g jacket 2. Thus, the ultimate tem erature of the li uid in the latin tank' will de'p'ehd upon the temperature or the liquid in the cooling jacket; When the temperature of the liquid in the plat"- ing tank' exceeds a certain value, the thermostat 8 will act to cause the switch arm I to move from the contact m to the contact n so that the circu 'it through the relay :0 will be interrupted with consequent openingof the switch c and cessation of the supply of current to the heating elements 1. The temperature of the water inthe cooling jacket 2 will, at the same time respondto the excess of temperature of the liquid in the plating tank so that the thermostat 9 will act to move the switch arm t so that it bridges the contacts s and 11. With the switch: arm 1' bridg ing the contacts and n and the switch arm 15 bridging the contacts s and v, a circuit will be closed through main lead a, line d, switch arm g, fuse 1 line 2 winding of electro-magn'et 21,. line 2 contacts 2' and a: of mercury switch 46, line w, contact 0, switch arm 15, contact s, line 1, contact n, switch arm 1, contact k, line 9', fuse in, switch-arm ,f, line re and main lead b. The elec-* tire-magnet 21 will, accordingly, be energized to: open the valve 2| so that the water will now into the compartment l3 and thence through the slot 3| from which it will be deflected by the" vane 35 into" the sub-compartment l5?) and from'there into the cooling jacket 2. The water will continue to-fiow into the cooling jacket until the tempera-- t 'ure of the liquid in the plating tank (as well: as that of the water in the cooling jacket) is reducerslto the desired degree, the surplus Waterin the cooling jacket escaping through the overflow "pipe- 5. The thermostats 8 and 9, responding to -the reduction of temperature, will causethe switch arm's Z'and 25 associated therewith, to move to open position so that the supply or current td-theelec' trd-ma'gnet- 2-1 is then interrupted and the valve 2| will close to cut off the supply of water from the feed pipe 3.

. when the latter is bridging the contacts k and m.

The reason for this is that when the thermostats 8 and 9 respond to a fall of temperature below that desired, the switch arm 1 associated with th thermostat 8 will be moved to bridge the contacts 7c and m and this alone is sufficient to restore the supply of current to the heating elements 1 without any assistance from the switch arm .t.

Should the liquid in the plating tank I and the water in the cooling jacket 2 reach an excessively high temperature while the mercury switch 46 and vane 35 are in a position for supplying makeup water to the plating tank, the thermostats 8 and 8 will respond to cause their switch arms 1 and t to cut off the supply of current to the heating elements 1 and to place the electro-magnet 21in their own circuit, but water flowing from the outlet 28 of the valve body l8 will not be diverted to the cooling jacket until the level of the liquid in the plating tank has been restored.

.It will be appreciated that, at times, the vane 35 can be so positioned in relation to the mercury switch 21 with the valve 2| open under the influence of the float 31 and one or other of the thermostats 8 and 9, that conditions may arise when the water flowing from the outlet 28 of the valve will be divided up by the vane so that it is fed to boththe plating tank I and cooling jacket 2 simultaneously, thereby also maintaining the level in the cooling jacket even when cooling of the jacket is unnecessary.

With the arrangement described, the two thermostats 8 and 9, although operating independently, act in consonance and between them strike a'balance, ensuring that the supply of water to the cooling jacket 2 is such that the temperature of the liquid in the plating tank I is maintained within narrow predetermined limits. The arrangement, moreover, operates entirely automatically once the switch arms and y have been closed, and ensures that the proper conditions as to level and temperature are maintained in an efiicient and reliable manner.

What I claim is: v

1. In apparatus of the kind hereinbeforereferred to and comprising a tank adapted to contain liquid which is subject to variations of temperature and loss of level, a liquid heat exchanger in heat exchange relation with said tank, liquid level and temperature control mechanism comprising a valve for controlling a supply of liquid to said tank and heat exchanger, means acting under the influence of a deficiency in the liquid level in said tank for actuating said valve so as to cause make-up liquid to be supplied to said tank, and means including two thermostats, one associated with the liquid in said tank and the other with the liquid insaid heat exchanger, for actuating said valve so as to cause liquid to be supplied to said heat exchanger according to variations in the temperature of the liquid in said tank and that in said heat exchanger.

2. In apparatus of the kind hereinbefore referred to and comprising a tank adapted to contain liquid which is subject to variations of temperature and loss of level, a liquid heat exchanger in heat exchange relation with said tank, liquid'level and temperature control mechanism comprising a valve for controlling a flow of liquid from a source of supply, two outlets from said valve, one of said outlets being associated with the interior'of said tank and the other'with the interior of said .heat exchanger, a movable vane acting to direct liquid coming from said valve towards the one or the other of said outletsaa float associated with the liquid in said tank and with said vane, said float being infiuenced by the rise and fall of the level of the liquid in said tank so as to move said vane, an electro-magnet which, when energised, opens said valve, a switch associated with and controlled by movement of said vane, a thermostat associated with said tank, a switch associated with and controlled by said thermostat, a thermostat associated with said heat exchanger, a switch associated with and controlled by said second-mentioned thermostat, and electrical connections between said'electro-magnet and said switches such that when the level of the liquid in said tank falls below a predetermined level, the electro-magnet will be energised to open said valve so that liquid is supplied through the valve and directed by said vane into said tank, and when the liquid in the tank is at predetermined level and the temperatures in said tank and in said heat exchanger exceed a predetermined value respectively, the electro-magnet will be energised to open the valve so that liquid is supplied through the valve and is directed by the vane into the heat exchanger.

3. Liquid level and temperature control means in accordance with claim 2, including an electric heater for the liquid in said tank, and electrical connections to said heater and means for interrupting the supply of current to said heater when the temperature of the liquid in said tank exceeds a predetermined value.

4. Liquid level and" temperature control means in accordance with claim 2, including an electric heater for the liquid in said tank and electrical connections including a relay and a switch operated by said relay for interrupting the supply of current through said connection to said heater when the temperature of the liquid in said tank exceedsa predetermined value.

5. Liquid level and temperature control means according to claim 2, wherein the switch whose position varies with movement of said vane, is a mercury switch having contacts so arranged that when the vane is in a position for directing liquid from said valve into said tank, a circuit through said electro-magnet will be closed so as to cause the electro-magnet to open the valve, while when the vane is in a position for directing liquid from the valve into said heat. exchanger, another circuit through the electro-magnet will be placed in a condition for actuating the electromagnet to close said valve depending on the position of the switches controlled'by the thermostats. I

- 6. Liquid level and temperature control means according to claim 2, whereinthe outlet side of said valve opens into a compartment having a slot for flow of liquid from the valve into second compartment arranged beneath the first compartment, the second compartment being divided into two sub-compartments, one connected with the interior of said tank and the other connected with the interior of said heat exchanger.

'7. Liquid level and temperature control means I according to claim 2, wherein the outlet side of said valve opens into a compartment having a slot for flow of liquid from the valve into a second compartment arranged beneath the first compartment, the second compartment being divided into two sub-compartments, one connected with the interior of said tank and the other connected with the interior of said heat exchanger, and wherein said vane is situated in the lower compartment in coincidence with the said slot and is mounted for a rocking movement adapted to -be imparted to it by said float, so that, when the vane is rocked to one side of the slot it diverts liquid passing through the slot into one of the said subcompartments and, when rocked to the other side of the slot. it diverts the liquid passing WILLIAM ALLCOCK, J UNR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,255,986 Rapisarda Sept. 16, 1941 1,051,060 Balke Jan. 21, 1913 

